Oliver c



(No Model.)

O.. C. BANNISTER.

ROGKING GRATE.

Patented Aug. 3, 1886.

N. PETERS. PhowLnhognpher. Washington. D. C.

OLIVER C. BANNISTER, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IONVA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS (I. EVANS, OF SAME PLACE.

ROCKING GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,455, dated August 3, 18236.

Serial No. 134.347.

(No model.)

To LLZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER C. BANNis'rna, of Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and Stateof lowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rocking Grates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of rocking grates which are pivotally mounted in complete cylindrical bearings located below the upper surface of the grate-frame; and my t5 invention consists in certain features of coustruction, hereinafter specitied, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan of myimproved grate. Fig. 2 is a perspect-ive of one ofthe bars, and Fig. 3 isa section taken on the linex .t of Fig. l.

The grate-frame consists, essentially, of the sides A and ends B, the latter provided with inwardly projecting teeth O, which conform in shapeto and intermesh with the teeth ofthe adjacent grate-bars. The ends F2 of each of the grate-bars are ot such form that when arranged adjacent to others of the same 'formation they form straight lines. No angular openings eX- ist between said ends and the inner adjacent surface of the frame, so that a sling fit of the bars and frame at the ends of the former is secured. The openings between the bars and sides A (see Fig. l) areintentionally exaggerated for clearness of illustration, while in actual practice the ends F2 of the bars nearly abut against the sides, so that no coal or cinders can possibly fall between the ends and the `traine. Now, in order to secure this advantage of retaining the unconsumed fuel from falling between the frame and the grate, it is necessary to provide a frame constructed to permit of longitudinal expansion of the bars. This I do by mortising the side rails, as at A- Y that is, the mouth of the mortise is projected toward the opposite side rail, and the mortises in each rail are opposite those in the other rail, so as to'receive the ends B, which are tenoned, as at B', to loosely tit the Inor- 5o tises. The sides are provided -on their inner faces, below the upper edges, with a series of small sockets, D, adapted to receive thereduced cylindrical ends of the grate-bars F. The sockets D are not only deeper than the length of the cylindrical bearings E of the bars F, but said bearings are reduced to tit said sockets loosely, thus permitting vertical curvature in either direction as well as longitudinal contraction and expansion in the bars and ends B, and yet preserving` the relatively 6o snug fit between the ends of the bars and the frame, the end B being also capable of independent expansion and contraction in the niortises.

The grate-bars are provided with long narrow centrally located openings F', for furnishing additional draft, and with laterally-projecting teeth F, which intermesh with the teeth of the adjacent grate-bars. These grate` bars are also centrally provided on their lower 7o faces with depending bifurcated arms or lugs H, to which is pivotally secured the connecting-bar I by means ofthe pivot-bolts J,which pass th rough corresponding perforations,K,in the arms H; or, it' desired, the connecting-rod 75 maybe pivotally attached in any other approved manner.v

The lever L ispivotally secured to the frame A, and is provided with a crank-arm, M, rigidly secured thereto or formed integral there- 8o with, the said crank being pivotally secured to the grate-frame and to the connectingbar, by means of which the grate-bars are operated and caused to rock, thus effectually grating and disposing of ashes and cinders.

By making the portions of the bars between the cylindrical ends slightly shorter than the width ofthe grate-frame sufficient play is left between the frame and bars to permit thelatter to expand without interference, and by lo- 9o eating the sockets for the cylindrical ends of the bars on the inner faces ofthe sides of the grate-frame, instead of on the upper edges of said frame, the sockets are out of the way or protected 'from the dust and ashes, and hence g5 the parts do not become clogged.

I am aware that it is not new to construct a grate with a series of parall-el bars having i11- termeshing teeth, said bars heilig pivoted in a frame formed of a single piece, the end bars Ioo nace, so that what are hereinbefore denominated as sidesA7 and endsB are located reversely-thatfisv to say, the sides A of the grate-frame are at the front and back, and the ends B are at the sides of said fire-box; therefore in using theseV words reference is not hadV to any particular arrangement of the gratebars in a boilenf'urnace or fire-box.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rookinggrate of the class described, the combination of side railshaving completely cylindrical bearing-sockets Wholly within the sides thereof, rocking grate-bars having reduced cylindrical bearings, and end rails mounted in mortises formed transversely in said side rails, substantially as specified.

2. Theeombination ofthe frame consisting of the sides A, transversely mortised at each end. as at A', and recessed or having sockets, as at D, the ends B,longitudinally tenoned at each end, as at B', and the grate-bars F, having bearings E, and ends forming in series straight lines, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof` I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER C. BANNISTER.

Vitnesses: t

W. B. MAYns, Geo. CARSON. 

